WWI:WWI:Conscription Crisis and the Conscription Crisis and the

War at HomeWar at Home

Financing the WarFinancing the War

Money was needed to train, transport, Money was needed to train, transport, feed, equip, and pay soldiers, and to feed, equip, and pay soldiers, and to build ships, armored vehicles, build ships, armored vehicles, airplanes and weaponsairplanes and weapons

At its height, the war effort was At its height, the war effort was costing the government about $1 costing the government about $1 million a daymillion a day

The Answer? The Answer?

#1: WAR LOANS#1: WAR LOANS– selling gov’t bonds to – selling gov’t bonds to investors investors

““Victory BondsVictory Bonds” – strong response” – strong response People “loaned” money to gov’t by buying People “loaned” money to gov’t by buying

bonds; people earned interest and made bonds; people earned interest and made money on them in the long term.money on them in the long term.

#2: INCOME TAX – Canadians were assured that #2: INCOME TAX – Canadians were assured that paying tax would end the warpaying tax would end the war

Never rescinded this taxNever rescinded this tax

Women’s Changing RolesWomen’s Changing Roles

Work for women restricted to low-paying Work for women restricted to low-paying jobs such as teaching, domestic work, and jobs such as teaching, domestic work, and low-skilled factory worklow-skilled factory work

As men went off to war, more women As men went off to war, more women were needed in the workforce (but less were needed in the workforce (but less pay)pay)

Jobs were considered to be temporary Jobs were considered to be temporary onlyonly

War Measures Act War Measures Act

Gave the Federal Government sweeping Gave the Federal Government sweeping powers to pass laws without the approval of powers to pass laws without the approval of Parliament while Canada was at warParliament while Canada was at war

The gov’t could overrule provincial laws, The gov’t could overrule provincial laws, censor the news media, tell manufacturers and censor the news media, tell manufacturers and farmers what they must produce, imprison farmers what they must produce, imprison people without trial, and label some people people without trial, and label some people enemies of Canadaenemies of Canada

Enemy Aliens Enemy Aliens

Before WW1, the Canadian gov’t campaigned Before WW1, the Canadian gov’t campaigned to attract immigrants from Europeto attract immigrants from Europe

By 1914, more than a million people from By 1914, more than a million people from German and Austria-Hungarian Empires lived German and Austria-Hungarian Empires lived in Canadain Canada

Gov’t used War Measures Act to label more Gov’t used War Measures Act to label more than 800 000 people ENEMY ALIENSthan 800 000 people ENEMY ALIENS

Consequences of Being an Enemy Consequences of Being an Enemy AlienAlien

Forced to carry identification cards and report Forced to carry identification cards and report regularly to authorities regularly to authorities

Not allowed to publish or read anything in a Not allowed to publish or read anything in a language other than French or Englishlanguage other than French or English

Could not leave the country without Could not leave the country without permissionpermission

Placed in internment camps where they were Placed in internment camps where they were forced to build roads and railways, work in forced to build roads and railways, work in mines, and clear landmines, and clear land

What is Conscription?What is Conscription?

What is Conscription?What is Conscription? Compulsory military serviceCompulsory military service

by 1917 Canada was running out of volunteers.by 1917 Canada was running out of volunteers. Enlistment was less than the casualty rate. Enlistment was less than the casualty rate.

PM Borden went to Britain and France to see PM Borden went to Britain and France to see the situation. the situation. He visited the wounded in hospitals.He visited the wounded in hospitals.

wounded men were patched up and sent back to wounded men were patched up and sent back to the front.the front.

Enlistment/Casualty Rate, 1917

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

Janu

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Febru

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Mar

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Augus

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Septe

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Octo

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Novem

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Decem

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Month

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Enlistment/Casualty Rate, 1917 Enlistments

Enlistment/Casualty Rate, 1917 Casualties

Enlistments (1917)

Casualties (1917)

What to do?What to do?

Borden realized we needed to have conscription (i.e. Borden realized we needed to have conscription (i.e. the draft) to keep the army going and win the war. the draft) to keep the army going and win the war.

Laurier, leader of the opposition, was strongly Laurier, leader of the opposition, was strongly opposed. opposed.

Fr Cdns objected to conscription. Fr Cdns objected to conscription. There were riots in Montreal. Troops fired on the crowd.There were riots in Montreal. Troops fired on the crowd.

Borden wanted to push for conscription. Borden wanted to push for conscription. The drafting of all men between 19 and 45. Some were The drafting of all men between 19 and 45. Some were

exempt, e.g. farmers, war workers, miners, injured, etc..exempt, e.g. farmers, war workers, miners, injured, etc..

The Answer?The Answer?

the issue split the Liberal Party. Eng Cdn Liberals the issue split the Liberal Party. Eng Cdn Liberals left Laurier, joined Borden in a “Union Govt”. left Laurier, joined Borden in a “Union Govt”.

election of 1917 fought on issue of Conscription. election of 1917 fought on issue of Conscription. Borden passed the Military Voters Act. ItBorden passed the Military Voters Act. It

a. Gave the vote to women who were wives, sisters or a. Gave the vote to women who were wives, sisters or mothers of a soldier.mothers of a soldier.

b. Allowed soldiers at the front to vote (the govt decided b. Allowed soldiers at the front to vote (the govt decided which riding votes would go to).which riding votes would go to).

c. Removed the vote from enemy aliens. c. Removed the vote from enemy aliens.

What happened…What happened…

The women voted for Borden, they wanted their The women voted for Borden, they wanted their families to survive. families to survive.

The Soldier voted for Borden, they wanted more help. The Soldier voted for Borden, they wanted more help. Their votes were used selectively to win key ridings. Their votes were used selectively to win key ridings.

The new immigrants lost their votes, they were The new immigrants lost their votes, they were traditional Liberal voters.traditional Liberal voters.

Borden won the election. Borden won the election. Canada was divided.Canada was divided. in the end, only 24,000 conscripts went to the front.in the end, only 24,000 conscripts went to the front.

Registration and Aboriginal PeopleRegistration and Aboriginal People

Aboriginal people were exempt from Aboriginal people were exempt from conscription, but they were not exempt from conscription, but they were not exempt from the law requiring men to registerthe law requiring men to register

No such thing as Canadian Citizenship at the No such thing as Canadian Citizenship at the time (still under Britain) and there was no time (still under Britain) and there was no other option on the form except to say you other option on the form except to say you were British by birth or choicewere British by birth or choice

Aboriginal men refused to registerAboriginal men refused to register